Saudi Supreme Court sets aside Sri Lankan migrant worker’s death penalty
The Saudi Supreme Court has overturned the death penalty of a Sri Lankan migrant worker who was previously sentenced for a blasphemous Facebook post. The case has been referred back to a lower court for a fresh sentencing hearing.
Why it matters
This case underscores the intersection of international diplomacy, human rights advocacy, and the strict blasphemy laws within the Saudi legal system.
The Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (October 14, 2026) set aside the death penalty awarded to Sri Lankan a migrant worker over a Facebook post that was deemed blasphemous.
“On 13 October 2026, the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia set aside the judgment imposing the death penalty on Anojan Sivarasa. This follows sustained diplomatic and legal efforts by the Government of Sri Lanka,” Sri Lanka’s Deputy Foreign Minister Arun Hemeachandra announced in a social media post, terming the development “a major relief” for the 24-year-old engineer hailing from the island’s eastern Ampara district.
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